The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-11-26
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
A TIME WHEN RAILROAD TRAVEL
WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.

Passengers Carried in Open Trucks Fit
ted with Wooden Scats-The Story Told
by AN Inglish hallway Journal-lsules
and Regulations.
Fifty years ago third class passengers were
carried in onen wagons OF trucks, fitted with
wooden and uncushioned seats, and tho car
riagcs We're attached to the goods trains. Tho
second class carriages were, in regard to COM
fort, but little, if anything, better than tho
thirds. They were open throughout at the
sides. There was no glazing, and tho part-
tions above the level of the doors. dividing
the carriage into six compartments, each
made TO seat twelve persons, We're formed Of
laths interlaced. and admitting free currents
of wind and air, to tho discomfort OF tho UNI
fortunate travellers. The passengers for the
various in ernledate stations were put into
separate compartments and the doors locked.
The clear length of each compartment on
some lines was only feet rs inches, and the
width feet Az inches, each seat being Is
inches i'll width. Stout passengers had some
difficulty in squeezing through the doors,
whi"h were only is inches wide The first
glazed and inclosed second class carriage that
ever ran upon railway was in the first ex-
press train that ran between London and Ex-
eter. The journey was made in five hours,
and the performance was regarded us ono of
the marvels of railway travelling Today
there arc i'll the United Kingdom about 34,-
900 carriages many Of which are fitted with
the luXures and beauties of drawing room,
aud even tho third class are more comfort
able than the first of fifty wears ago
Not only are most Of these carriages COM
tortably and conveniently arranged, but tho
safety of tose who use them is increased by
appliances which We're not even dreamt of bv
our railway forcfathers. or the total rail
way carrias S 81 per cent. ara now fitted
with continuous brakes, whie04 per cent. of
the double line of the country is worked OH
the absolute bl elk system
TICKETS AND BAGGAGE
The method of l-uii, tics fifty years
ago wa4 vr:y GiiT'g";: fsom that now i'll use
From th" eal, - 1i!n' suf raiiAav travelling
the date was required To he written on the
ticket. as well as the amount of fare and !he
time of tho train by viii i! the passenger was
to start. These particulars had To be entered,
on IL co,lnterfoil i'll tho book uf tickets.
The arrangements for luggage were de-
SlilIi'. i. .i'n passengers lNp
will" said tho ,nneb,l, "a, farn, practicable,
he placed on til" roof of tie coach in which
he has taken his place: carpet bugs and snull
luggage may ie placed underneath tho seat
opposite To that which the owner occupies. "
a capital arrangement for securing punctual
attendance was the announcement:
"Pa,seugers intending to Join the trains at
any "f the stopping places are desired to be
in good time, as the train will leave ca.l
station as soon rs ready, without reference to
the time stated in the tables, the main object
being to perform the whole journey as expe-
ditiously US possible. Passengers will be
booked only condtionaly upon there being
room on tho arrival Of the trains, and they
will avc the preference of seats in the order
in which they arc booked. No persons arc
booked after tho arrival of the train. All
persons are requested to get Oh and alight
from the coaches invariably on the left side,
as the only certain means of preventing acci-
dents from trains passing i'll an opposite d.
rection.o
NO SMOKING ALLOWED.
What would modern travellers say to the
following notice:
"No smoking allowed in tho station houses
or in any of the coaches, even with the con.
sent Of tho passengers. A substantial break
fast may be had at the station house at Bir-
mingham by parties going by the early train,
but no person is allowed to sell liquors or eat-
al'lcs Of any kind upon the line The COM
pany earnestly hopo tlIat the public will CO.
operate with them in enforcing this rcsula-
ton, as il will he tho means of removing a
cause e delay and will greatly diminish the
| chance of accident"
| The engin's in use on tho Stockton and
Darlington line in 1857 weighed about twelve
tons, and had ~ inch cylinders and q piston
stroke Of lG n"ics. The three pairs of wheels
were each feet i'll diameter, und the pressure
of steam vuric,l from 36 pounds to GU rounds
| Many of ti!n engines had only four wheels
and it was considered great step in advance
when six wheel engines were placed ON the
railways, the argument in their favor being
that, il by any accident one Of the six wheels
broke, the engine would still remain erect
While if one vi tho four collapsed the resul,
would be the downfall of tho loronlotve On
the Birmingham and Derby junction line the
| engines weighed ten tons ten Lundredweight
and tho tw" driving wheels were S feet I
inches, and the four carrying wheels 8 feet
inches each.
In contrast to the above, we subjoin an il
lusiration of the fumous "Marchioness OF
S;utEur'" engine, exhibited by the London
aud Northeastern company at the Inven
tIoni exhibition in lss5, and adopted as the
| tSiieo of ti. rompany's express locomotives
With tender, this type Of engine weighs fifty
four tors eleven hundredweight, and the
cargo Of coal is ti"e tons. The driving wheel.
arc q feet inches in diameter aud tho ell
gine Is worked at pressure Of l15 pounds tc
the square inch. Tie greatest novelty in
these engines is, however, the adoption of the
"compounu' System. by which tine expansive
| power Of Li:e SOM is fuzzy utilizeG.-Londou